Atlantic Beach resident Lesley Rothschild has asked the Nassau County Police Department to apply for federal money to purchase tracking devices to help protect children with autism who wander off.

Ruddy added that given the fact that children with autism are often drawn to water, teaching them to swim should be a priority, and, along with the tracking devices, parents should provide their local police departments with information about their child and a recent photo. For her part, Rothschild said that her battle to keep her son safe is constant. “It will always be a problem,” she said. “I hope he outgrows it. It’s very, very scary. He’s a very sweet boy, but doesn’t have an awareness of danger.”

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